The Forgotten City
by Ahsoka'sBestFriend
Summary: When the Redguard Dragonborn Erilona and her wife Rayya find a hidden Dwemer city, a new adventure begins. Femslash adventure. F!Redguard Dragonborn/Rayya.
1. Chapter 1

**The Forgotten City**

 **Fandom: Skyrim with DLCs**

 **Author: Ahsoka'sBestFriend**

 **Rating: T**

 **Genres: Romance, Adventure**

 **A/N: The cover image is from the mod The Forgotten City, which Zero Period Productions' videos of inspired this story.**

Redguard Dragonborn and adventurer Erilona crouched, holding a Dwarven bow. She had a scimitar buckled at one hip, and wore a set of Stormcloak Officer Armor. Beside her, her Housecarl and wife Rayya crouched, holding her twin enchanted scimitars. She squinted, distantly making out the figure of a bandit man in fur armor. He was looking down. She set an elven arrow to her string, and took aim at his leg. She fired, knocking him to the ground. She slung away her bow and drew the scimitar that was buckled at her hip, Windshear. She walked over to where the bandit was laying on the ground trying to get up. She put her blade to his neck, kicking away his steel sword. She glanced at where he was looking down, and saw a ring of stone that appeared to be carved in the Dwemer style, and in the center of the ring was a deep, black hole. A rope ran down into the hole.

"Don't go down there," the bandit warned her.

"Why not?"  
"Arlo went down two days ago and hasn't returned. I fear he's dead or injured. No offense, Redguard, but you look like you would fare badly in a Dwemer ruin."

"I'll take my chances. Rayya, should I kill him?"  
"No. He may be a bandit, but he hasn't harmed us."

"This is your lucky day, bandit. We won't kill you."

Erilona moved to the hole, and cast a ball of light down. It came to a stop on the floor, illuminating the pit.

"Hmm. Doesn't look as deep as I thought. Want to check it out?"

"Sure."  
"I'll go first Rayya."

"No, Erilona. I'm your Housecarl. I'm supposed to protect you. I'll go first."

"Rayya, I'm your wife. I'll go down first."

"And leave me at the mercy of this bandit?"

"For the love of Talos, fine."

Rayya moved to the pit, sheathing her blades. She took the rope in both hands, and started to climb down. As soon as she was halfway down, Erilona put Windshear between her teeth and followed. Once they were both down, there was a loud roar that shook them.  
" _FEIM ZII GRON!_ "

Erilona faded away, and Rayya sidestepped just as a werewolf came out of nowhere and attacked, slashing out at them with its claws. Rayya's scimitars slashed out, tearing into the wolf's flesh. Erilona lunged, slashing out with Windshear. The werewolf fell to the ground, and Erilona followed up with a flurry of strikes that ripped open its face. She drew her ancient dagger Mehrune's Razor and stabbed the werewolf in the back, killing it instantly. It collapsed and had a seizure before its thick black pelt melted away, revealing a naked Bosmer woman. There was a set of leather armor laying on the ground nearby, and a small camp. There was a note pinned in the ground by an iron dagger. Erilona sheathed her dagger and the scimitar, and moved to the note. She pulled it free, and read it.

 ** _Akarla-_**

 ** _If you ever read this, please know I'm sorry. I never meant for this to happen. I came here out of curiosity, having seen the hole as I walked by, and something about this place caused me to lose control of my abilities. I feel that it's better if I stay here, because I don't know if this lack of control is permanent. I'm sorry my love._**

 ** _Love, Nimelin._**

 ** _PS: To anyone else who reads this note, please take it to Akarla Shadybrook in Solitude. She is a High Elf, and last I knew she was wearing a set of shining steel armor. I would be much obliged if you could make sure she receives this message._**

Erilona felt a twinge of sadness at the Bosmer's fate. She handed Rayya the note, and stuffed the dagger in her bag.

"After we're done here, we'll go to Solitude. I feel obligated to take this note to this Altmer, and tell her of Nimelin's fate."

Rayya slipped it into a pocket of her leather armor.

"Right."

For the first time, Erilona and Rayya took stock of their surroundings. They were standing in a pond, and there was a massive waterfall. A stone path led up behind it. They followed cautiously, finding a door that appeared to be of Dwemer origin.

"Let's go."

Erilona drew her sword, but not Mehrune's Razor, and pushed open the door. They walked inside.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Forgotten City**

 **Fandom: Skyrim with DLCs**

 **Author: Ahsoka'sBestFriend**

 **Rating: T**

 **Genres: Romance, Adventure**

Erilona brushed some spider webs away from the stone and earth passage ahead, a floating ball of light she had summoned illuminating the corridor. Her hand was on the hilt of Windshear, but she hadn't drawn it because other than the Bosmer werewolf outside there hadn't been any enemies within the ruins.

"This is marvelous. Other than the spider webs, this place is remarkably well preserved for a Dwemer ruin."

Erilona had always been fascinated with the Dwemer. Something about the mystery surrounding them attracted her.

"And I know there should probably be automatons and Falmer and Chaurus and other standard inhabitants of Dwemer ruins here, but there aren't. This is strange."

They walked through the passage, then exited into a wide room. Up near the ceiling in the center there was a ball of energy illuminating the massive chamber. Erilona dismissed her magelight and glanced down. Protruding from the water below, she could see the spires of a massive building with Dwemer doors. She pulled on her Dragon Priest mask Volsung, and spoke.

"Rayya. Stay here. I'll be back. I want to check out that sunken structure."

She dove in and pushed open the wide double doors of the sunken building. She looked around, her vampiric vision easily penetrating the darkness of the deep water she was in. She could see a trapdoor. She pursed her lips and swam to it. She pulled at the latch, but it didn't open. Examining it closer, she could tell that it was locked, so she glanced around for a key, which she soon found. It was golden metal, like the doors, and it was hanging from a hook appearing to be made of the same metal. She removed it and opened the trap door. She descended in, sealing it behind her as she realized the room wasn't underwater. A small jet of water from the sunken house entered the cave as she sealed the door, but not enough for her to need Volsung, so she pulled it off and stuffed it in her bag, deciding she would put it back on when she exited the cave, just in case. She drew Windshear, her senses screaming that there was danger in the cave.  
" _LASS YAH NIR!_ "

Her Shout revealed no living, undead or automatons in the cave.  
"Alright," she muttered, "I guess I imagined it."

She sheathed Windshear, but just then something flew overhead and slammed into the wall behind her, startling her. She spun, drawing Windshear again.  
"Hello? Who's there?"

Her eyes narrowed.

"Reveal yourself to me, or I will find you and drag you from your hiding place!"

There was no answer, so she summoned up the Thu'um again.

" _LASS YAH NIR!_ "

Once again, nothing was revealed by her Shout.

"I know you're there somewhere," she called, "come out now and I won't hurt you unless you attack me."

A man with a crossbow rose from behind a rock. He wore a set of leather armor, and his crossbow appeared to be made of the same metal that Dwarven items were made from. Erilona examined him. He was an Imperial, and he had a Dwarven sword and dagger hanging at opposite hips from each other. A quiver of steel bolts hung on the same hip as his dagger.

"Drop the crossbow and identify yourself," she ordered.

"My apologies," he said, setting his crossbow on the ground, when I first saw you I thought you were one of the Alik'r assassins that were sent after me. My name is Jartis Philaso. I am an adventurer, and I'm here to hide from the Alik'r. I just saw a Redguard warrior enter the room where I was hiding, while I had Redguard assassins after me. I know...you are not dressed like an Alik'r warrior, but I thought perhaps they'd sent someone in armor that wasn't easily recognizable as that of an Alik'r so that I would be caught by surprise."

"I see. But that doesn't explain how you weren't detected by my Aura Whisper."

"Ah. That must have been what those two noises were. Shouts. You must be the Dragonborn of legend. Though I never expected the Dragonborn would be a Redguard woman. Always thought the Dragonborn would be a Nord man. As for avoiding, well, I just don't know how that happened."

"I see."

Warily, Erilona sheathed Windshear.

"Fine. I'm going back to the sunken room."

She opened the trapdoor, and ascended, sealing the hole after her so the Imperial wouldn't drown. She swam out of the sunken building and up to the surface, where Rayya was waiting.  
"Alright. There's nothing of value down there. I did find an Imperial. Hiding out from the Alik'r. He seemed to think I was an Alik'r, at first, and shot at me with a crossbow. Somehow he wasn't detected when I used my Aura Whisper Shout. I left him down there, alive and well, and exited. Let's continue."

She climbed out of the water, and they crossed the bridge to the next passage. Farther along the passage on the left side, they found a door. There was an inscription in a strange language which Erilona recognized as Dwemeris.

"Fascinating. This door leads to Ful Zhardum Din. That makes this the largest Dwemer zone in Skyrim. Maybe even all of Tamriel. Yes, it's not all one ruin, but Ful Zhardum Din, is Blackreach, where we visited to get the Elder Scroll, and it's connected to three other Dwemer cities, Alftand, Mzinchaleft, and Ralbthar. So, this is connected to four massive Dwemer ruins."

There was awe in Erilona's voice.

"I've never seen anything quite like this place. It's remarkably well preserved, and the sunken building, which is more damaged than the rest, may have been destroyed prior to this place being abandoned. At least, that seems to be a safe deduction."

"I see," Rayya said, bored with Dwemer history, but respecting that it was important to Erilona, so she didn't say anything.

"I wonder why this place escaped most of the destruction in the First Era. I wonder if we can rebuild and inhabit this place," Erilona said quietly, "it's been well preserved, it doesn't seem to have enemies, I cleared out Blackreach, Alftand, Mzinchaleft and Ralbthar, so we don't have to worry about Falmer raiding the borders of this place."

"That might actually work," Rayya said, "but that'd be quite expensive. How would we come up with the gold to put into rebuilding the city? Speaking of that, we don't even know what this place is called. I've seen nothing that indicates a name."

"If we don't find anything that says its name before we leave, I'll just pick a phrase in Dwemeris that fits this place, and we'll just call it the basic translation of the phrase. As for the gold, I have more of it then you think I might have. I have this enormous chest full of gold hidden near Whiterun. I put a spell on it, so only I can find it. I wanted to have gold stashed away in case I needed extra gold, and in case I wouldn't spend gold I might need for a later project. I may have enough to pay for the renovation of this place."


	3. Chapter 3

**The Forgotten City**

 **Fandom: Skyrim with DLCs**

 **Author: Ahsoka'sBestFriend**

 **Rating: T**

 **Genres: Romance, Adventure**

Erilona turned the key in the massive stone chest's lock, and opened it, confirming its contents were not missing. She then began shoveling them into the wooden chest in the back of her personal carriage, from Lakeview Manor. After making sure she hadn't missed anything, she sealed up the chest, and climbed in back next to Rayya.

"Alright, Gunjar. Let's get back home with this chest, and let's try to avoid Pinewatch. I know, the bandits would be easy prey for us, but I don't feel like killing bandits right now."

The carriage driver cracked the whip, and they set off for the house. When they arrived there, Erilona's elected steward for Lakeview Manor, the Imperial mage Illia was leaning against the wall of the house, conversing with a man in steel armor.

"Illia. We're back."

"Ah, yes. Here're the masters of the homestead."

The man turned, revealing himself as a Bosmer.

"My name is Denegoth Bragor. You started asking questions about renovation of some ruins?"

"Yes."  
"I came to offer my services, for a price."

"Alright, what's your price?"

The Bosmer's brow crinkled briefly.  
"I'd say 15,000 gold, as a base fee, which is my service fee, and transportation fee. Depending on what it is I'm doing to assist you, I may require additional fees paid, but I can't say how much. It depends on the situation. Give me the 15,000 and I'll travel to a location you specify, and I will wait for you to begin my work."  
"Understood. Hold on. Let me count out my money."

She opened the chest, and counted out 15,000 gold and handed them in a heavy sack to Denegoth.  
"That should cover your base fee."

"Thank you. Where are these ruins?"  
"They're in the Reach. First, follow the road from Whiterun stables to Markarth until you find a Shrine of Dibella, which will be along the road. Head north of the shrine, and keep walking until you find a hole in the ground. That hole leads to a small creek, with a waterfall, and behind the waterfall there is a door. Do not enter until we arrive. We have a couple more places to go, then we'll meet you there and enter."  
"I understand."

* * *

When finally Erilona and Rayya climbed down through the hole, they were not alone. The Dunmer ranger Janessa was also with them, and the steel armored Bosmer was sitting next to the creek.

"Our other contacts are not here yet, so Janessa, if you don't mind, will you stay up there, and watch for our contacts? For the other people we've hired?"  
"I will, sera."

"Let's go."

They entered the Dwemer ruin, and eventually Denegoth sucked in a breath as he looked around.

"This is magnificent. I've never seen anything quite like this, and I've seen my fair share of ruins, mostly Dwemer, but also quite a few Nordic," he said, "this is very well preserved. If I didn't know better, I'd say there's still Dwemer here."

"We want to renovate this place. What would it need?"  
"Well, we'd need some more lights, though that'd be easy. From what I've seen this doesn't need much work. So far at least. We'd also want to burn away all these spider webs, and get rid of any frostbite spiders that might be here. But I don't know if there are any. These webs...they could be from smaller spiders that are harmless. We'd also want to find a place near the beginning to inscribe a Dwemeris name. Or to find one. Have you found something that indicates a name for this ruin?"  
"No, we have not. I was thinking something like The Dragon's Respite, or something like that," Erilona said, "but I've never seen anything that has any of those words written in Dwemeris, so I don't know what the translation would be."

"What about naming it Volendak? That means Hammer Towers, right? The Dwemer DID like towers. That works."

"Yeah, but how do we write it in Dwemeris?"  
"I know how," Erilona said.


End file.
